Opinion: Who Brock Lesnar Should and Should Not Lose To

Although WWE has not openly advertised this, Brock Lesnar will be making his return to the ring at a Live Event in Chicago, this Saturday evening. His opponent? The man that he annihilated at “SummerSlam,” Randy Orton.

There are several things about this match that I do not agree with. First, the fact that Lesnar is wresting in a WWE ring again is beyond me. I wrote an opinion piece last month saying that he should never complete for the company again, and I stand by that. Second, he’s competing against “The Viper,” who already has some potential health issues. Although he’s been medically cleared to compete, that doesn’t change the fact that “The Beast” could seriously injure him further at a moment’s notice.

Third, why wouldn’t WWE put this on the Network? With the astronomical fee that Lesnar is paid per appearance, wouldn’t you want to milk it for as much money as you can?

Once all of these thoughts subsided, the next question that came to my mind was “who is going to win this thing?” In my opinion, there should be a screwy finish, or a double-DQ or something like that, so that both superstars do not look weak by taking a loss. Lesnar is the one behind the 1 in 21-1, so the next loss that he takes should be significant. Orton, meanwhile, is trying to build momentum for his match with Bray Wyatt at “No Mercy.” A loss to Lesnar won’t help that case.

But, it did get me to thinking. Who should beat “The Beast?”

As I mentioned, he is the one who conquered The Undertaker’s 21-year undefeated streak at WrestleMania 30, back in 2014. This is a big deal. As a result, there are only a few superstars who should have the honor of defeating Lesnar, due to their credible physical prowess, as well as their potential to be the next big thing in WWE. Pun intended.

With that said, here is a list of people who I feel should beat Lesnar, as well as those who should not, but might end up beating him anyway:

Best Choice:

Kevin Owens. This is a no brainer for me. The Universal Champion. The man who defeated John Cena in his first match on the main roster. A man who not only has a great physical in-ring presence, but his simply incredible on the microphone. When he first came to the main roster, I remember tweeting out that I feel that he is the only one who is a credible threat to Lesnar. I stand by that choice. Owens is going to be a major player in the company for a long time to come. A win for Lesnar would only solidify his place going forward.

Good Choices:

Rusev. Another superstar who has gotten better and better since returning from injury. His current run may be some of his best work in the company, and the US Title reign has been one of the top ones in recent history. He has an incredible physical presence, a great look, and having Lana by his side doesn’t hurt. While obviously not as charismatic as Owens, he still looks like he could hang with “The Beast.” I could buy Rusev taking him down.

Big Cass. This one shouldn’t happen within the next year, but I could see it happening at some point. If you look at his performance in the Fatal-4 Way match for the WWE Universal Championship on “Monday Night Raw,” you can tell that he is going to be a future world champion. He is great in the ring, can hang with the top talent in the company, and is always entertaining on the mic. His huge size could be believable as a legitimate threat to Lesnar in a year or two.

Honorable Mentions:

Shinsuke Nakamura. “The King of Strong Style” has been tearing up competition in NXT, and is so much fun to watch in the ring. He is incredibly charismatic, and knows just what to do to keep the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand at any moment, But when the bell sounds, he is as agile and dangerous as they come. Depending on how he ends up being used on the main roster, I could absolutely see him being a legitimate threat to Lesnar.

Samoa Joe. I’ve been a fan of Samoa Joe for a long time, and have seen his work prior to WWE. He comes off as a complete bad ass, and someone who has no mercy for anyone that he steps into the ring with. His mammoth size, physical demeanor, and ruthless attitude make him a threat to anyone that he comes in contact with. Including “The Beast.”

Now that I’ve discussed who should beat Brock Lesnar, here are a few names who I think should NOT defeat him, but WWE may still give the victory to anyway:

Randy Orton. Orton doesn’t need the win, and he’s not believable as a credible threat to Lesnar, in my opinion. While the storyline is there, because they both came through WWE’s developmental system together, Lesnar is much more physically dominant than Orton, both in look and in the development of their characters. Add in the beating that Orton received at “SummerSlam,” and I just can’t see how you could justify him as a credible threat.

Braun Strowman. While Strowman is tall, huge and incredibly muscular, I simply do not seem him to be any  threat to Lesnar. He’s slow, not very charismatic, and his skill set does not inspire me to think that he would have any chance against “The Beast.”

John Cena. I am a John Cena fan, and I am not afraid to admit that. He is one of the top 5 superstars of all time, in my opinion, and everything is better when he is around. But, like Orton, he does not need this victory, and the fact that Lesnar has completely dominated him in the past does not allow me to buy him as a serious threat to the former UFC champion.

Triple H. “The Game” is one of the greatest superstars to ever lace up a pair of boots. He is calculating, unremorseful, and downright sinister when he wants to be. But, he is the corporate guy now. His job is to build NXT, and insert himself in matches when it is time to put over the next big talent. While I know that he will always be “that damn good,” I just feel that his time is over, and he should not be the one to stop the man who ended The Undertaker’s undefeated streak.

Whoever ends up getting the victory over Lesnar will immediately gain credibility to any claim that they make that they are the toughest and most dominant athlete on the roster. Hopefully, WWE will give the nod to a superstar who is going to be one of the main focuses of WWE programming for many years to come, as that will be an incredible moment for not only that superstar, but all of the fans who want to see that person succeed.

And all of that is best for business.

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